Regulation of direct-current sources for the supply of electric receivers



Feb. 19, 1952 G. VILLEBONNET 2,586,

REGULATION oF DIRECT CURRENT SOURCES FoR THE SUPPLY oF ELECTRIC RECEIVERS Filed Feb. 14, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 PM I , a e 3 J I R 0% E E N k I h Ill/7' IN JE NTOR 11,6 8 VEFEEWW H PFGE T Feb. 19, 1952 G.VlLEBONNET REGULATION OF DIRECT CURRENT SOURCES Filed Feb. 14, 1948 FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTRIC RECEIVERS 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 19, 1952 REGULATION OF DIRECT-CURRENT SOURCES FOR THE SUPPLY OF ELECTRIC RECEIVERS Georges Villebonnet, Gentilly, France Application February 14, 1948, Serial No. 8,378

In France November 24, 1942 4 Claims. (Cl. 323) The present invention relates to new and useful apparatus for regulating the voltage supplied to electrically operated apparatus requiring substantially constant voltage, such as telecommunications for example, and which relies on sources of direct current.

In such installations, and particularly telecommunication systems, a usual source of current is from lead or cadmium-nickel accumulators or secondary batteries, and, as is well known, the voltage thereof is variable, whether the batteries are arranged in series, in parallel, and in buffer relationship or in trickle charge output. In such systems the voltage supply must be relatively constant, a tolerance plus or minus of only two volts being quite usual. Such voltage variations may be due to the loading conditions of the system or to variations in the voltage output of a particular cell. in the source of supply, and are according to one known method corrected by addition or removal of further cells to the battery. According to another known method-a commutator is employed to introduce resistance elements, for instance, in series with the battery to reduce the voltage. Alternatively elements having a counterelectromotive force, and operating as electrolytic resistances may be so inserted. or removed. Such resistances or counter E. M. F. elements have many disadvantages. They are quite cumbersome; they give ofi gases resulting from electrolysis and require the same electric canalizations and the same care as the normal batteries in the circuit. Moreover, the switching elements for their insertion and removal have to be designed to take into account the presence of residual energy in the switching circuit.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a new and useful method and apparatus for accomplishing the desired voltage regulation in an installation of the type referred to in a simple manner and with great advantagesover the prior art as hereinafter brought out.

The accompanying drawings forming part of this specification illustrate the present invention and the manner of its operation.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a voltage regulator for a direct current power supply according to the invention employing manual con-- trol;

Figure 2 is a. diagram of a modified regulator according to the invention, also using manual control; and p Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a regulated battery-fed power supply according to the invention.

According to the present invention there are employed as resistance elements for effecting a desired voltage drop in series with the battery whose output voltage is to be stabilized a plurality of dry rectifier cells of known types such as selenium iron, copper, copper oxide, magnesium copper and the like. These cells possess in varying degree the well known property of offering to a current passed through them in their direction of greater conductivity a resistance varying directly (though not necessarily proportionally) with the current so passed. Their resistance is of course dependent upon other features such as the nature of the rectifier cell and the ambient temperature. In certain cases, the combined action of these various factors makes it possible, as is well known, to provide a dry contact cell, the voltage drop of which is practically constant when the cell is traversed in its preferred direction or direction of greater conductivity by a variable direct current. The connection of several such cells in series, in parallel, or in mixed grouping, permits providing a dry resistance element unit having the same useful electrical characteristics as the previously used resistance elements mentioned hereabove, with none of their disadvantages.

By connecting a group of such rectifier cells of selected characteristics in series with the source ofdirect current to be regulated, each cell being capable of causing a small voltage drop, such as several tenths of a volt, and by utilizing a number of cells which together can equal the voltage variation tolerance for the specific installation, a voltage regulator is provided having the characteristics of, firstly, progressive regulation, since the voltage drop in each cell element may well be of the order of a few tenths of 2. volt or more, and secondly, a great simplicity of the arrangement since the absence of residual energy permits the use of simple well known switches or commutators without any intermediate resistances being required.

For the same reason, it is possible to proceed directly to insert the cells into the circuit or to short-circuit them therefrom. The switches and relays, etc. which can be used for this purpose present a'high factor of safety and may be provided with simple and well known contacts.

A third advantage of the invention is to reduce the bulk of the regulators required. By way of example, a dry rectifier unit comprising a group of magnesium-copper sulphide cells connected to a storage battery of 100 ampere-hour capacity at 24 volts requires a volume of less than a 10 centimeter cube.

Fourthly, no upkeep or maintenance is required since dry contact cells require no upkeep whatsoever and the use of such cells in the circuits of the invention has no influence on their usual length of life.

Referring now to the drawings, in the diagram illustrated in Fig. 1, a and b are the two input terminals of a source of direct current with variable voltage which may be a bank of batteries, while and d are the two output terminals to which it is desired to apply a practically constant Voltage, and which are connected to the terminals a and b by wires 6, f. I l I V Inserted in the wire e there is provided a dry rectifier cell unit made up of a group of dry cells g which in this example, are in series connection. The cells g are connected, as shown, to the contacts of a commutator having a switch arm n, and the last cell is connected to the wire e. It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the cells to the left of the movable arm h of the commutator will be inserted in the wire e, while those to the right are short-circuited, thus inserting in the circuit a desired number of cells 9 to regulate the voltage at c and d.

Fig. 2 shows a diagram similar to that of Fig. 1 in which, however, the cells 9 which are not connected actively into the circuit will not be short circuited. Again, however, any desired number of cells g may be placed in the circuit at will.

Fig. 3 illustrates voltage regulation by means of dry rectifier cells according to the invention in an automatically regulated power supply. In this embodiment of the invention, regulation of the voltage of a set of batteries shown as battery 4 is effected by automatically inserting one, two or three dry-contact cells I, 2, 3, these being equivalent to cells g (Fig. 1). This insertion of one of said cells is effected by opening a contact and its removal is effected by short-circuiting it. The contact being opened, the cell involved will be connected in series with the bat- I carry'the current of battery 4 in their direction of greater conductivity. The exit end of this unit is connected through line I4I, line I42, positive input terminal a and line I43 to the positive terminal of battery 4. The negative terminal of the battery is connected to regulator input terminal b and thence via line I36 to regulator output terminal d.

Automatic operation to insert or remove cells I. 2 or 3 from the circuit in accordance with the voltage across the load terminals 0, d is ensured by means of a six-relay system comprising relays 0, 9, I0, II, I2 and I3, all adapted to be energized by battery 4.

Relays 8 and 9 are connected with theirassociated resistances 6 and I in parallel across the terminals c, 11 whereby they will be fed with the corrected or regulated voltage. To this end, supply terminal 0 is connected through wire I44 to junction I49 terminal while the other supply terminal b is connected to the junction I50 through wire I36. The coils or windings of both relays 8 and 9 are connected, in series with variable resistors 6 and I, between junctions I49 and I50.

In contradistinction thereto, relays I0, II, I2 and I3 are connected across the battery 4 and are energized with its non-corrected or unregulated voltage.

The two relays 8 and 9 are of the minimum and maximum threshold types respectively and are so connected as to receive the voltage variations across supply terminals 0, d and to transform these variations into impulses directed by the switching relay I0 to the short circuiting relays II, I2 and I3 which control the short-circuiting and reinsertion of the cells I, 2 and 3.

Relay Bisof the minimum threshold type, i. e. it will de-energizewhen the voltage applied to its winding falls below a specified minimum. The threshold value thereof, in terms of supply voltage at c, 11 may be adjusted by the rheostat Bconnected in series with the coil of relay 8. Whenrelay 8 becomes de-energized upon decline of the supply voltage below the minimum set at rheostat 6, relay 8 relaxes its armature, allowing its normally closed contacts 8| and 82 to close. When 82 closes, rheostat 6 is short-circuited, the current through the winding is increased and the relay attracts its armature again, reopening contacts BI and 82. If during the de-energization of relay 8 the supply voltage has not risen above the lower level of the regulated voltage range set atrheostat 6, relay 8 will immediately ole-energize again, allowing its contacts to close. At each closing of contact 9|, a negative impulse is sent via line I4 to contact blade IOI of switching relay I0. Thus relay 8 will continue to beat,'i. e. to open and close, until the minimum supply voltage is reached at terminals -c, d.

Relay 9 is of the maximum threshold type, i. e. it will energize when the voltage applied to its winding increases above the specifiedmaximum. The upper limit'of regulated supply :voltage at c, at corresponding to this maximum may be adjusted by means of rheostat I. When thesupply voltage rises above the maximum so set,relay 9 will be energizedattracting its armature and closing its normally open contacts 9| and 92. Upon closing of 92, the relay winding is short-circuited, and the contacts reopen. At each closing, 9| sends a negative impulse via line I5 to switch blade I02 of switching relay I0. If upon reopening its "contacts, relay 9 again experiences a voltage-above its threshold, it will close its-contacts oncemore, and s'o on, until the supply voltage falls to a value within the range of regulation.

The switching relay I0 is provided with two contact bladesIOI and I02 each having two contacts, IllIa, IOIb, and I02a, I021), respectively. Contact blade IOI is adapted to transmit'from connecting wire I4 the control'impulses resulting from the operation of relay 8. Contact blade I02 is arranged to transmit from connecting wire I5 the control impulses resulting from the operation of relay- 9.

The position'of relay IO-anditscontact blades IOI and I02 is controlled bythe condition of the short-circuiting relays'II, I2 and I3, which are connected in cascade. Relay I0 will be energized when an even number of short-'circuiting relays are energized (i. e., non'eor the first two) and it will remain in' its deenergizedcondition if an odd number of short circuiting relays are energized (i. e., the first or all three of them). The energizing winding of relay I0'is mounted in series with contact blade II4 of relay II (via normally closed contact II4a), with blade I34 of relay I3 and with blade I24 ofrelay I2(via blade'l34).

5. Relay I9 i therefore tie-energized if relay II only is energized (contact 411 being open) or if relays II, I2 and I3 are simultaneously energized (contact I34 being opened). Similarly relay III is energized if relays II, I2 and I3 are de-energized (II4a being closed) or if II and I2 are energized (I34, I24a and H412 being closed).

Relay I is of the slow-acting type due to the presence of a condenser 26 connected across its energizing winding. Thus, when a change in supply voltage is created by inserting an element I, 2 or 3 or by short-circuiting one of them, this is accompanied, in fact is caused by, a corresponding change in the number of energized short-circuiting relays. However, due to the aforesaid condenser 20, the alteration in position of relay I0 resulting therefrom will take place only after a time lag during which additional negative pulses from relays 8 and 9 are inoperative.

Each of the relays II, I2 and I3 is provided to close or open a short-circuiting contact III, I2I or I3I in the chain of dry rectifier cells I, 2 or 3. These relays are connected in cascade so that no one of them can be energized unless the preced- 25 ing relay is already energized. To this end, the winding of relay II is connected via a resistor 2I and-line 35 to the positive termnial of the battery 4 while the winding of relay I2 is connected thereto through resistor 22 by means of normally 30 open contact H41) and plate II4 of relay II. The winding of relay I3 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery through resistor 23 via normally open contacts I24?) and I24a of relay I2 and H41) of relay II. Similarly, none of the relays II, I2 and I3 can be brought into its de-energized position so long as any of the following is still energized. Moreover, the relay II will provide to short-circuit the first cell I while the relay I2 will short-circuit two cells I and 2 and the relay 6 will short-circuit three cells I, 2 and 3. This result is achieved in a very simple manner. Positive terminal 0 of the power supply is connected to each relay by wires I49,

I44 and I31. Junctions I, 2' and 3' in the series connection of rectifier cell are respectively connected through wires I38, I39 and 25 to the contacts III, I2I and I3I. When, for instance, the relay I2 is set to operate, contact I2I will shortcircuit simultaneously the cells I and 2 through the medium of wires I31 and I39. Similarly, contact I3I of relay I3 will short-circuit the three elements I, 2 and 3 while the contact III will only short-circuit the element I.

For a clearer understanding of the manner in which the apparatus according to this invention operates, it is helpful to consider a particular case. The selected example may be as follows: the voltage becomes lower than a predetermined lower limit while all three elements I, 2 and 3 are actually in operation in the circuit.

With all of the cells I, 2 and 3 in the circuit, i. e. non short circuited, relay 8 is energized (due to the assumed'fall in power supply output voltage below the lower limit of the regulated range) and its contacts BI and 82 are open. On the other hand relay 9 is de-energized, and its contacts BI and 92 are also open.

Initially also, the three cells I, 2 and 3 being 6. voltage at c, d becomes lower than the preselected value, it is necessary to short-circuit from the circuit one or more of the elements I, 2 and 3. When the supply voltage falls below the preselected value, relay 8 de-energizes, and its contacts BI and 82 thus close. The negative supply terminal (1 connected by wires I36 and 24 with contact 8| is then connected with the positive terminal a of the battery through wires I4, I6 (since, with all of relays II, I2 and I3 de-energized, switching relay I0 is energized to connect switch blades WI and I02 with normally open contacts IIlIb and I021), respectively), normally closed energizing contact II3, wire I46, winding of relay II, wire I41, resistor 2|, and wire 25.

This will energize relay II, closing its normally open holding contact H2 and opening its energizing contact II3. Instead of being energized through contact II3 relay II will then be energized through contact I I2 and wires 24 and I48 to the negative terminal of the battery, connection to the positive battery terminal being via wire I41, resistor -I2I and Wire 25 as before.

As the winding of relay II is now permanently energized regardless of negative pulses from wire I6, it will hold contact III closed, and the cell I will be short-circuited.

Short circuiting of cell I will produce an increase of the supply voltage at c, d. If with this increase the voltage at c, d returns to a value between the predetermined upper and lower limits, relay 8 will return to a steady energized condition with its contacts open. Relay 29 of course will remain de-energized with its contacts open.

If in spite of the short circuiting of a cell, the supply voltage at c, d remains below the permis sible minimum, the next impulse from contact BI (occurring upon reclosing of contact BI when relay 8 again relaxes its armature due to insufficient energizing voltage) will be directed toward relay I2 via wire I'I, since relay I0 relaxes its armature upon energization of relay II. With contact blade I [4 closed at normally open contact II4b by the prior energization of relay II, relay I2 is permitted to be energized, shorting out rectifier cell 2. Relay 20 is then reenergized so that the next negative pulse from contact BI will energize relay I3, again via wire I6.

When the power supply voltage at the output terminals 0 and d changes in the reverse direction, i. e. rises above the upper limit of the regulated range, and with relay II only assumed to have been .energized, for example, the operation is as follows: upon increase of the voltage at c, d above the maximum, relay 9 will be energized, and its contacts 9| and 92 will close. The negative supply terminal at is then connected to junction I50 and thence via closed contact 9|, wire I5, contacts I92, IIl2a, wire I9 and contacts I25, I251) to wire I41 and the winding of relay I I. At the same time the other end of the winding of relay I I is connected to the negative supply volt age through contact H2 and wires I43 and 24.

5 Due to the presence of resistor 2|, the positive in the circuit, the contacts III, I2I and I3I are open and the three relays II, I2 and I3 are deenergized. Therefore, the switching relay I0 is energized, and its contact I! is in position to connect wires I4 and I6.

Under the conditions assumed, if the su ply voltage on wire 25 is isolated, and the winding of relay II is short-circuited. Normally open contact I I2 thereupon opens. The de-energization of relays I2 and I3 is similarly effected with the assistance of resistors 22 and 23, respectively.

What I claim is:

1. A regulated direct current power supply comprising a battery, a plurality of dry contact rectifiers connected in series with the battery and poled to pass in their direction of greater conductivitya current forced through them by th battery, and means responsive to the voltage across the series connection of battery and rectifiers to short-circuit said rectifiers successively as said voltage falls below a minimum value and to reinsert said rectifiers successively in series with the battery as said voltage rises above a maximum value.

2. A regulated direct current power supply comprising a battery, a plurality of dry contact rectifying elements connected in series with the battery and poled to pass in their direction of low resistance a current forced through them by the battery upon completion of a circuit including the battery and rectifying elements, a plurality of short-circuiting relays, one for each of said elements, a normally open contact on each of said relays connected to short-circuit when closed one of said elements, a minimum and a maximum voltage relay each having its winding connected in series with a resistance across the combination of battery and rectifying elements in series, and a switching relay controlled by the state of energization of the short-circuiting relays to direct energizing pulses from the minimum voltage relay and de-energizing pulses from the maximum voltage relay to the windings of the short-circuiting relays in a specified order.

3. A voltage regulator for a source or" direct current voltage comprising a pair of input terminals for connection to said source, a pair of output terminals for connection to a load, a plurality of dry contact rectifying elements connected in series between one of said input and one of said output terminals and poled to pass in their direction of low resistance a current forced through them by the source upon completion of a circuit including the source and rectifying elements, a plurality of short-circuiting relays, one for each of said elements, a normally open contact on each of said relays connected to short-circuit when closed one of said elements, a minimum and a maximum voltage relay each having its winding connected in series with a resistance across said output terminals, a first normally closed contact on said minimum voltage relay connected to short-circuit when closed the resistance in series with its winding, a second normally closed contact on said relay connecting when closed one of said input terminals to a first contact blade of a switching relay, a first normally open contact on said maximum voltage relay connected to shortcircuit when closed the winding of its relay, secondnormally open contact on said maximum voltage relay connecting when closed the same input terminal to a second blade of said switching relay, a switching relay having its winding connected across said input terminals via a normally closed switch relay controlling contact on a first one of the short-circuiting relays and also via a normally closed switch relay controlling contact on a third of the short-circuiting relays and one of two normally open switch relay controlling contacts on the second short-circuiting relay and a normally open switch relay controlling contact on the first short-circuiting relay, a normally closed energizing and a normally open holding contact on each of the short-circuiting relays connecting with their respective windings, a normally open and a normally closed -shortcircuiting relay energizing contact on the switching relay associated with said first contact blade connecting the second normally closed contact on the minimum voltage relay to the energizing con tacts ofthe short-circuiting relays in a specified ordenand :a, normallyopen anda normally closed tie-energizing contact on the switching relay associated with the second contactbladethereof connecting the second normallyopen 'contactof the maximum voltage relay to the-endsof the short-circuiting relay windings opposite their energizing contacts inthe reverse order.

4. A voltage regulator for a source of direct current voltage comprising a pair of inputtermimale for connection to said source, a pair of output terminals for connection to a load, a plurality of dry contact rectifying elements connected'in series between one of said input and one of said output terminals and. poled topass in their direction of low resistance a current forced through them by the source upon completion of a circuit including thesource and rectifying elements, a plurality of short-circuiting relays, one for each of said elements, anormally open contact on each of said relays connected to short-circuit when closed one of said elements, a minimum anda maximum voltage relay each having its winding connected in series with a resistance across said output terminals, a first normally closed contact on said minimum voltage relay connected to short-circuit when closed the resistance in series with its winding, a second normally closed contact on said minimum voltage relay connecting when closed one of said input terminals to aifirst contact blade of a switching relay, a firstnormally open contact on said maximum voltage relay connected to short-circuit'when closed the winding of its relay, a secondnormally'open contact on said maximum voltage relay connecting when closed the same input terminal to a second blade of said switching relay, a switching relay having its winding connected across said input terminals via a. normally closed'switch relay controlling contact on a first one of the short-circuiting relays and also via a normally closed switch relay controllingcontact on a'third of the short-circuiting relays and one of two'normally open switch relay controlling contacts on the second short-circuiting relay and a normally open switch relay controlling contactonthe first short-circuiting relay, a normally closed energizing and a normally open holding contact on each of the short-circuiting relays connecting with their respective windings, a connection from a normally open contact of the switching :relay associated with its first contact blade to the energizing contacts of the first and third shortcircuiting relays, a-connection from a normally closed contact associated with the first contact blade of the switching relay to theenergizing contact of the second short-circuiting relay, a connection from a normally open contact associated with the second contact blade of the switching relay to the end of the winding of the second short-circuiting relay remote from its energizing contact and to the normally open switch relay controlling contact on the first short-circuiting relay and to one of the normally open switch relay controlling contacts on the second shortcircuiting relay, a connection from a normally closed contact associated with the second blade of the switching relay leading via a further normally closed contact on the second short-circuiting relay to the end of the winding of the first short-circuiting relay remote from its energizing contact and via a further normallyopen contact on the second short-circuiting relay to the corresponding end of the winding of the third shortcircuiting relay andto the-secondnormallyopen The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 969,583 White Sept. 6, 1910 1,186,618 Tatum June 13, 1916 1,438,945 Conway Dec. 19, 1922 Number Number Name Date Shackleton Sept. 7, 1926 Roberts Dec. 25, 1928 Niles et al Dec. 31, 1929 Brooks Sept. 22, 1931 Robinson Dec. 29, 1931 Devol Oct. 18, 1932 Timmons May 8, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 24, 1935 

